Last Updated on January 29, 2022 7:59 pm
Rain, floods, rain, earthquake, rain and more rain were the dominate weather issues for Watauga County and the High Country in 2013.
2013 will go down as the wettest year since modern day record records have been kept for Boone. A total of 74.47 inches fell at the Boone 1Se reporting station, breaking the mark of 69.41 inches set in 2009. The combination of 9.71 inches in May, 9.46 in June and 18.15 in July not only became new modern day monthly records but were the main monthly contributors to the yearly total.
*Graphic from Southeast Climate Center*
Observed precipitation for July 2013
Observed precipitation for all of 2013, below that is the departure from normal.
*graphics: National Weather Service*
However the all time rainfall record still belongs to 1979 when 82.79 inches was recorded, the bulk of that coming when 15.68 inches fell in September of that year.
Weather records for Boone have been kept by two different official weather stations since 1929. The reporting station from 1929 to 1980 has some years with incomplete/missing data which could mean much higher totals. As an example 1940, the year of the great flood, yearly totals only show 56.97. 77 days of data are missing for that year. The Boone 1Se reporting station is the current official station and has been recording data since June 1980.
Monthly Totals For Boone:
Precipitation totals followed by average temp, coldest or warmest rankings are since 1980:
January – 11.86 (2nd wettest), 35.7 (5th warmest)
February – 2.87 (14th driest), 32.2 (6th coldest)
March – 3.14 (8th driest), 33.6 (1st coldest)
April – 5.11 (12th wettest), 48.4 (11th coldest)
May – 9.71 (1st wettest), 55.8 (7th coldest)
June – 9.46 (1st wettest), 64.9 (tied 16th warmest)
July – 18.15 (1st wettest), 67.4 (9th coldest)
August – 4.35 (15th driest), 65.6 (6th coldest)
September – 1.69 (7th driest), 60.3 (9th coldest)
October – 2.39 (10th driest), 51.3 (tied 17th warmest)
November – 1.83 (5th driest), 37.2 (3rd coldest)
December – 3.88 (16th wettest), 37 (tied 13th warmest)
*Data from Watauga Medical Center reporting station*
The highest temperature of the year was 85.1 on July 16
Lowest – December 25 with 12.02 degrees
Highest wind gust – 67 mph at 3:55pm on Thursday June 13.
The greatest high temperature swing in a 24 hour period: December 18-19 – 36.68 to 62.78 for a 26.1 degree difference.
The greatest low temperature swing in a 24 hour period: December 26-27 – 19.22 to 41.9 for a 22.68 degree difference.
The two greatest high temperature swings in a week: Last week of January (Jan 27-29) 32.18 to 65.84 for a difference of 33.66 degrees. The fourth week of March (March 17-23) 61.34 to 28.04 for a difference of 33.3 degrees.
The two greatest low temperature swings in a week: Fourth week of December (December 22-25) 51.08 to 12.02 for a difference of 39.06 degrees. Third week of January (January 13-19) 54.86 to 17.78 for a difference of 37.08 degrees.
The month of January was certainly full of weather extremes in a short amount of time. Snow, wind and floods became the main issues to begin the new year.
Flooding on January 30 not only became a significant history event for Watauga County, as the first ever Flash Flood Emergency was issued, but capped off a 15 day span of nearly everything Mother Nature could toss our way.
Heavy rains on Sunday & Monday May 5/6 caused flooding across Watauga County. The Watauga River crested to 12.92 feet on May 6. The week of May 5-11 saw highs start in the 40s (Sunday May 5 high of 48.02) before bouncing to the 70s (Friday May 10 high 74.3). May did not record a complete week with highs in the 70s.
18.15 inches of rain fell officially in July for Boone, making it the wettest July on record and the 2nd wettest month on record dating back to 1929 (21.40 inches in August 1940 stands as the record). The WataugaRoads.com weather station reported 24 days in July with rain.
A 2.9 magnitude earthquake near Blowing Rock occurred on August 25 2 miles NNE of Blowing Rock
The first hint of winter returned on Wednesday Oct 23 as sleet and snow fell across much of the area, with some of the highest elevations recording as much as an inch of snow.
Below is the breakdown for each month from the Watauga Medical Center reporting station.
January
High – 68.18 – Saturday Jan 12
Low – 13.46 Tuesday Jan 22
Peak Wind gusts – 66mph Thursday Jan 24 at 6:15am
February
High – 57.38 – Monday Feb 11
Low – 12.92 Friday Feb 1
Peak Wind gusts – 62mph Sunday Feb 3 at 5:pmam
March
High – 61.34 – Saturday March 17
Low – 17.6 on Thursday March 21 & Friday March 22
Peak Wind gusts – 52mph @1:55am Wednesday March 6
April
Highest temperature – 80.24 Wednesday April 10
Lowest temperature – 29.12 Sunday April 21
Peak Wind Gusts – 48mph 12:35am Saturday April 20
May
Highest temperature – 80.78 Tuesday May 21
Lowest temperature – 30.2 Tuesday May 14
Peak Wind Gusts – 39mph at 5:55pm Friday may 24
Highest Rain Amounts – 2.38 Monday May 6, 2.33 Sunday May 5
June
Highest temperature – 82.76 Wednesday June 12
Lowest temperature – 46.22 Saturday June 15
Peak Wind Gusts – 67 mph at 3:55pm Thursday June 13
Highest Rain Amounts – 1.2 Sunday June 30, 1.19 Monday June 10, 1.15 Sunday June 9
July
Highest temperature – 85.1 Tuesday July 16
Lowest temperature – 52.7 Tuesday July 30
Peak Wind Gusts – 31 mph at 8:15pm Wednesday July 17
Highest Rain Amounts – 2.98 Wednesday July 3, 2.78 Saturday July 27.
August
Highest temperature – 82.4 Thursday Aug 29
Lowest temperature – 47.12 Sunday Aug 25
Peak Wind Gusts – 30 mph at 4:159m Sunday Aug 4
Highest Rain Amounts – 1.12 Sunday Aug 18
September
Highest temperature – 80.6 Wednesday Sept 11, 80.42 Tuesday Sept 10
Lowest temperature – 40.1 Monday Sept 23
Peak Wind Gusts – 31 mph at 7:35am Friday Sept 13
Highest Rain Amounts – .57 Wednesday Sept 11
October
Highest temperature – 77.9 Saturday Oct 5, 77.54 Friday Oct 4
Lowest temperature – 19.22 Saturday Oct 26
Peak Wind Gusts – 38 mph at 8:15pm Thursday Oct 31
November
Highest temperature – 69.26 Friday Nov 1
Lowest temperature – 14.18 Monday Nov 25
Peak Wind Gusts – 51 mph at 4:35pm Wednesday Nov 27
December
Highest temperature – 63.14 Friday Dec 6
Lowest temperature – 12.02 Wednesday Dec 25
Peak Wind Gusts – 52mph at 3:55am Wednesday Dec 18
Observed Precipitation for 2013 Nationwide
